Lifestyle

Celebrities Play Kickball Game For Mental Health Awareness

THE AFRO — Leigh Bodden promised the Black team would win, but Santana Moss wasn’t having any of it. Moss delivered a three-run kickball home run in the bottom of the first inning, which proved to be the difference in the game as the white team won the inaugural Barry’s Game at Bowie Baysox Stadium.

Published

7 years ago

August 14, 2019

Oakland Post

Leigh Bodden’s LBFoundation.org and Lauryn’s Law teamed up at the Bowie Baysox Stadium for baseball and celebrity kickball games in honor of mental health and suicide awareness. (Courtesy Photo)

By Mark F. Gray

Leigh Bodden promised the Black team would win, but Santana Moss wasn’t having any of it. Moss delivered a three-run kickball home run in the bottom of the first inning, which proved to be the difference in the game as the white team won the inaugural Barry’s Game at Bowie Baysox Stadium.

“We’re keeping our mouth shut and will let our play do the talking,” Moss said. “We’ll see what happens at the end of the game.”

On a day where there were no losers, Bodden’s LBFoundation.org brought together local celebrities and former pro athletes by galvanizing the community to begin learning more about a silent killer amongst minorities. However, thanks to Moss’s heroics the white team withstood a late inning comeback attempt to hold on for a 5-3 victory.

Despite the game, mental health awareness and suicide prevention were the focus of the Baltimore Orioles class AA affiliate Bowie Baysox in conjunction with Bodden’s Foundation and Lauryn’s Law. The charity organizations collaborated to play the game in honor of two people who tragically lost their lives due to their undiagnosed mental health issues.

Linda Diaz and Bodden carry the pain of their respective losses daily, as both carry memories of loved ones who took their lives. Diaz, who shared the day with her granddaughter, started the push for Lauryn’s Law after her daughter took her life after battling the effects of bullying that led to undiagnosed depression. Her efforts led to a state law requiring in school counseling and intervention for students who are displaying those symptoms.

Bodden’s friend Barry, who also took his life, is to whom the game was dedicated. Before the first “pitch” it was clear this was more than a celebrity good time. In addition to the passion for the competition there was a palpable sense of commitment to the cause that was conveyed by Bodden himself, as he addressed the fans who stayed and watched with an emotional appreciation to those in attendance.

“There is not a day that doesn’t go by where I don’t think about him,” Bodden said with his voice cracking as he tried to hold back tears. “Hopefully, you’ve been able to speak with the representatives of the organizations that can help you be there for someone who may not realize the help they need and you can be there to support them.”

The crowd who attended the baseball game was able to attend the kickball game afterward for the price of the game ticket. During the game itself, various mental health organizations were stationed throughout the concourse distributing information and sharing basic knowledge about the warning signs of what could lead to suicidal behavior.

“It’s so important to have an opportunity to share this kind of information with the public,” Diaz said. “When someone like Leigh adds his name too and genuinely cares because he knows the pain that friends and families go through, it only helps create greater awareness in the community.”

Approximately 1,000 fans stayed after the Baysox Eastern League 10-4 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs for the kickball game. During the long afternoon, they also had an opportunity to receive information from a series of mental health organizations who lined the concourse with a message of intervention and therapy. The celebrities who attended also recognize the role they play in pushing the message.

“It’s something that we can now have open conversations when we’re on the air,” said Sunni [in the City] from WPGC-FM. “Artists like Wale use their twitter accounts to talk about his therapist all the time. It’s a disease that’s out of the closet right now and people are beginning to realize they don’t have to feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about mental health issues anymore.”

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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Economy

How the Sandwich Generation Can Help Protect Aging Parents’ Finances

One in four American adults now belongs to the “sandwich generation,” balancing the demands of raising children while supporting aging parents. Women frequently bear a disproportionate share of this responsibility, facing significant physical and financial strain. With November designated as Chase Fraud & Scam Prevention Month, caregivers are encouraged to initiate vital conversations regarding financial snapshots and long-term goals. Establishing a proactive plan and building a support system can help secure a family’s legacy while defending against common predatory tactics, and you can read more here.

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2026

Post News Group

By Sponsored by JPMorganChase

Planning and scam prevention tips for caregivers balancing kids and parents

If you’re raising children while also supporting an older parent, you’re likely managing schedules, healthcare needs, day-to-day decisions and even finances. People in this group are often called the “sandwich generation,” which now encompasses one in four adults in the U.S.

Women also often carry a disproportionate share of this responsibility: three in five family caregivers are women. Women are more likely to report physical, emotional and financial strain from caregiving, which can make it harder to protect their own well-being and long-term financial security.

For the sandwich generation, the holidays can be a natural time to talk with parents about money, including how to protect their finances from scams. November is Chase Fraud & Scam Prevention Month – designed to help people recognize common scams, avoid in-the-moment mistakes and better protect their money and personal information.

Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Check In and Make a Plan

Finances can be incredibly personal, and many parents worry that accepting help means losing independence. Start by framing the conversation around peace of mind and organization – not control.

Check in on your finances and long-term plan, too. You’ll be better equipped to care for others when your own financial foundation is secure.

Also consider helping your parents create a “financial snapshot.” J.P. Morgan Wealth Management’s guide for supporting aging parents outlines a few considerations:

Location of key accounts: banking, investments, retirement, credit cards, insurance
How bills and recurring expenses are paid
Whether beneficiaries are up to date
Where important documents are stored and who has access

Then ask what goals matter most in the years ahead: staying in their home, supporting family, traveling, planning for healthcare or leaving a legacy. Goals can evolve, so revisit them periodically. Planning tools can help – like J.P. Morgan Wealth Plan, a free digital money coach in the Chase Mobile® app or at chase.com.

A financial advisor can help create a plan tailored to you and your parents’ needs. An estate planning attorney can document your parents’ wishes, including who may act if they cannot make decisions themselves.

Understand Common Scams

Scammers often use urgency, fear, secrecy or affection to pressure people into acting quickly. Recognizing these tactics can help you and your family spot red flags sooner. Common scams include:

Investment scams: Promises of high or “guaranteed” returns with little risk.
Tech support scams: Requests for payment or remote device access.
Impersonation scams: Messages impersonating trusted organizations or loved ones, asking for money, passwords, account details or other personal information.
Romance scams: Online relationships that lead to requests for money.

Chase hosts more than 1,000 free fraud and scam prevention workshops annually, including hundreds across all lower 48 states throughout November.

Stay Proactive and Vigilant

If you or a loved one suspects a scam, slow down and stop communicating with the individual immediately. Contact your bank through a trusted channel to review recent transactions and report the incident to appropriate authorities.

Also consider a few simple steps for protection:

“Trusted Contact Person”: Designate a trusted adult who may be notified about certain online wire activity.
Tech tips: Use unique passwords, multifactor authentication and account alerts, keep devices updated and monitor accounts regularly for unusual activity.
Behavior changes: Watch for secrecy around finances, unusual transactions, unexpected changes to financial documents or pressure from new acquaintances.

You’re Not Alone

Caregiving is demanding, and it shouldn’t be a solo effort. Build a support system – which can include family, friends and professionals such as healthcare providers, attorneys and financial advisors. A thoughtful conversation now can help your parents stay organized and protected in the future.

For free educational resources on planning for yourself and loved ones, visit chase.com/theknow

For more information and practical tips about fraud and scam prevention, visit chase.com/security

The views, opinions, estimates and strategies expressed herein constitutes the author’s judgment based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice and may differ from those expressed by other areas of J.P. Morgan.

This information in no way constitutes J.P. Morgan Research and should not be treated as such. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions. For additional guidance on how this information should be applied to your situation, you should consult your advisor.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., its affiliates, and employees do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any financial transaction.

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which offers investment products and services through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS), a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC.

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Community

Golden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night

In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries captured the 2026 WNBA Championship with a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Playing before a sold-out crowd at Chase Center on Halloween night, Gabby Williams delivered a historic 30-point performance to earn Finals MVP honors. The victory marks a rapid rise for the expansion team, which has already set league attendance records and surpassed a $1 billion valuation. Fans gathered by the hundreds of thousands this week to celebrate the new Bay Area legends, read more.

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2026

Post News Group

“We’re so proud,” said Mayor Barbara Lee who donned a violet wig on Wednesday at a rally honoring the Golden State Valkyries as the team celebrated its historic 2026 WNBA Championship in Oakland. Photo courtesy of NBC.

By Dr. Y’Anad Burrell Special to The Post

In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries became the WBNA 2026 Champions, with Gabby Williams named WNBA Finals MVP. A Halloween night movie of magic and there was no surprise that the game was sold out, with more than 18,000 fans inside Chase Center while thousands more packed the open space at Thrive Center from hours preceding the game through the final buzzer.

In the decisive Game 7, Williams delivered a legendary performance, scoring 30 points to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 68-63 championship victory over the Atlanta Dream. Remarkably, 28 of her 30 points came in the second half, setting a WNBA postseason record for points in a half and earning her Finals MVP honors.

The team celebrated its victory on Wednesday with a rally in Oakland followed by a ferry ride to San Francisco’s Embarcadero and then a two-mile parade that drew about 400,000 fans.

Williams has become a symbol of the Bay Area’s impact on the team. Although born in Nevada, Williams has deep family roots in Oakland and has often said the city’s culture, community, and basketball traditions shaped her identity and playing style.

After signing with the Valkyries, she began calling the city home and noting that “there’s no Golden State without Oakland.”

The Valkyries have several ballers who made an impact on winning this series, including Veronica Burton, Tiffany ‘Tip’ Hayes, Kayla Thornton, Kaila Charles, and Cecilia Zandalasini.

Veteran center Kiah Stokes brought championship experience and defensive leadership when she signed a multi-year free-agent contract with the franchise on April 13. A former first-round draft pick out of UConn and a three-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces before joining Golden State, Stokes was recruited by head coach Natalie Nakae, with whom she had previously worked in Las Vegas.

Known as one of the league’s premier rim protectors and rebounders, Stokes quickly became a defensive anchor for the expansion franchise and played a major role in leading the Valkyries to their historic championship run.

The Valkyries have accomplished something extraordinary, proving that a new franchise can make an immediate impact both on and off the court. In their first year, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season and set all-time league attendance records. The franchise sold out all home games, reporting 18,064 attendees per game in both seasons — the highest attendance figures in WNBA history. The Valkyries’ success has also translated into extraordinary franchise value. After entering the league by paying a $50 million expansion fee, the organization generated record revenues and rapidly became one of the most valuable franchises in women’s sports, valued at over $! billion.

The WNBA Finals’ deciding game averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game in league history and the most-watched finals game since 1999.

The record audience reflects the league’s growing popularity and has major implications for its future, including higher media rights value, increased advertising revenue, stronger sponsorship opportunities, rising merchandise sales, and greater ticket demand.

The Finals also featured sold-out arenas and record postseason viewership, demonstrating that the WNBA is expanding its commercial reach, attracting new fans, and strengthening its position as a major professional sports league.

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Black History

IN MEMORIAM: Marcia Ann Gillespie, Editor of Essence and Ms. Magazines, Dies at 82

Marcia Ann Gillespie, the trailblazing journalist who served as the first editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, has died at age 82. After joining the publication at its inception in 1970, Gillespie spent a decade elevating the beauty and voices of Black women during a pivotal era of self-love and cultural revolution. She later broke barriers as the first Black woman to lead Ms. magazine, further solidifying her status as a titan of the publishing industry. Her expansive career also included authorship and teaching, leaving a profound impact on American media. Read more.

Published

6 days ago

November 6, 2026

Post News Group

By Post Staff

Marcia Anna Gillespie, the first editor in chief of Essence magazine, has died. She was 82.

Born in Rockville Centre, New York, in 1944. The daughter of a church sexton/small business owner and domestic worker/caterer, Gillespie parlayed her degree in American studies from Illinois’s Lake Forest College into a research job at Time-Life Books, Inc. in New York.

There she advocated for fairness and inclusion of Black life in its publications. When the owners of the standard bearer of Black life, Ebony magazine, ventured into creating a special publication for young, Black women, Gillespie was hired as managing editor in 1970, and became editor-in-chief a year later at the young age of 26.

At the time, the venture by the Johnson family – the owners of Ebony magazine and Jet – into creating a publication for young Black women met the growing revolution of self-love in the Black community.

In other words, the battle cry of the late 1960s, “Black is Beautiful,” had a place to be seen and not just heard.

Thousands of young women who had already abandoned straightening combs and European aesthetics learned more ways to wear their natural hair from Afros to cornrows. Young Black designers got a place in the spotlight not just in clothing but jewelry that expressed neo-African ideals. But one of the most important impacts was the magazine’s unapologetic elevation of the beauty of the dark-skinned Black female to the status she deserved.

Under Gillepie’s tenure, Essence championed storytelling that celebrated Black women’s identities, experiences, and contributions at a time when their voices were often overlooked in mainstream media,” Essence wrote in a statement posted to Instagram

For 10 years she steered the fledgling publication before joining Ms. Magazine as a contributor in 1980 later becoming the first Black woman to edit a mainstream American magazine when she took charge in 1992.

In 1998, she helped secure the publication’s future through a women-led ownership group. She stayed at Ms. In various capacities until 2001, during which time the magazine had the most diverse readership in its history.

She also mentored future Essence editor Susan L. Taylor and taught young journalists at SUNY Old Westbury.

Emmy-winning actor Sheryl Lee Ralph took to social media to honor Gillespie’s life.

“Rest in peace, dear Marcia Gillespie,” she wrote on Threads. “Your voice, your brilliance, and your commitment to lifting up Black women leaves a legacy that will continue to inspire me and so many others.”

A professor at SUNY Old Westbury and Bennett College, she also co-authored the authorized biography “Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration” in 2008.

According to Wikipedia, she also served on various boards as a director or advisor, including: “…the Arthur Ashe Institute of Urban Health, the Black & Jewish Women of New York, the Violence Policy Center in Washington, D.C., Aspen Institute, …and the Studio Museum of Harlem. Gillespie is a member of the National Council of Negro Women and the American Association of Magazine Editors.”

She was the recipient of several awards, including: the Lake Forest College Outstanding Alumni Award (1973), the New York Women in Communications Matrix Award (1978); a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Association of Black Journalists for print journalism (1982); a ‘Top Ten Outstanding Women in Magazine Publishing’ recognition by the March of Dimes.

In later years she was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame (2002); the NAACP President’s Award (2006) and the Barbara Graves Legacy Award at the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit in 2017.

The conclusion for her online obituary reads: “She leaves behind a legacy written not just in the pages she edited, but in every editor, journalist, and reader who found themselves — finally — in the stories she chose to tell.”

Online sources for this report include “The History Makers,” The Washington Informer, Wikipedia, Essence magazine, Ms. Magazine and her obituary.